Electrical system and apparatus



Aug. 20, 1946.

P. K. RANNEY ELECTRICAL- SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed Sept. 20, 1944 INVENTOR. 758mm; [BM/0e) BY Imam! Patented Aug. 20, 1946 Application September 20, 1944, SerialNo.'554,956

9 Claims.

This invention'relates to gaseous tube systems and particularly to systems that embody theuse of fluorescent tubes as a lighting medium.

In the operation ,of' fiuorescenttubes, the system usually includes a primary circuit and a secondary circuit, wherein the'secondary circuit is relatively high with respect to the primary circuit, and in such installations-the danger of electrical shockfrom contact'with' the exposed terminals of the secondary circuit is'alwaysiimminent whenever a tube'is removed fromthe socket. Moreover, in factory installationsor'in locations where considerable'vibration is present,

there is danger of the tubes falling out of the sockets. Additionally, the more tubes connected in series, the greater the voltage necessary, hence, the greater the need for protection against electrical shock.

An object of th'epresent' invention is to provide means for holding the tubes securelyin place upon a supporting structure, and at the same time'for' effecting an automatic opening of'the circuit upon detachment of the tube holding means, whereby dangers incident to the liability of electrical shock heretofore present whenever a tube was removed from thesupport are eliminated. In this connection, my invention contemplates a construction which may be readily incorporated as a unitary part of the fixture construction, or may be applied to existing. fixtures without extensive changes in the construction or cost thereof.

Referring now to the drawing, Fig. l is aperspective view of a gaseous tube system embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 2-2 in Fig.- 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view'showi-nga modified'form of the present inventionyFig. 4 is a section taken onthe plane indicated by theline 4-4 in=Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a wiring diagram.

In Figs. 1 and 2, I. have shown a gaseous tube fixture as including tube HI and which are supported in sockets l2 and I3 at opposite ends of a supporting structure l5, that is shown in the form of a hollow housing that isprovided with a flange I 6- extending around the marginal edges thereof for facilitating attachment toa ceiling or othersupporting surface. The housing carries a transformer 20 which has a primary and secondary circuit, the primary of which is connected by conductors 2| to a source of a current supply, while the secondary leads 22-extend to suitable conductorsin the sockets I2 and Min the customary-way.

The present invention embodies the use-ofa K switch-that is connected in the primary circuit, together with a device for holding the tubes in position with respect to the support, coupled with means for automatically actuating the switch to closed position whenever the device is applied to .the tube and for automatically" opening the switch whenever the device is" removed therefrom. In the form shown in Figs. 1 and2, the switch in the primary circuit is indicated in general'at 39 as havingv a'spring" pressed operatthrough conductors 34 is normally open. The

arrangement is also such that Whenever'the plunger 3! is moved inwardly to the position shown-in Fig; 2, the primary circuit is closed.

The device-for supporting? the tubes and actu' ating the primary circuit switch is illustrated in Fig. 2 as comprising a cap that is adapted toengage the end wall 33 ofthe'housing, and to-extend around the tubes, preferably contacting them, for holding them in operative position in their respective sockets; The cap thus has an end wall ilga rbottom;wa-ll ll, and a flange 42 shaped to fit around the housing and tubes and to beattached to the housin by a fastening member 45. The tube supporting device serves a dualpurpose; providing an end capfor the tubes, a support for them, and as a means for holding the primary circuitswitch closed whenever the device is in position uponthe support. Tightening .ofth'e fastening. member- 45, therefore, servesnotonly to hold the cap in place-but at the sametime operates to prevent removal of any tube and. to maintain theprimarycireuit and to be'hinged, as at t'sfi, to the housing. The

other end of the bar is detachably connected to the housing by afastene 5'!- and is adapted'to actuate a plunger-58 for controllinga switch, indicated at 59, which is connected through conductors 69 to the primary circuit in the same manner as that described-in connection with the arrangement illustrated'in Fig. 2. Thus," the bar 55-serves the dual purpose ofpreventing'the tubes from falling out of place inadvertently, and also serves the purpose of-in'terrupting the flow of current in th'erprimary circuit whenever the'bar is opened. At such time the plunger 53' under the force of a spring BI is forced outwardly through an opening 62 where it is subsequently in a position to be forced backwardly to close the circuit whenever the bar is again moved to the closed 3 position. The grounded connection for the modified structure is illustrated at 66 in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 5, I have shown a wiring diagram wherein the source of current, designated G is 'used for energizing a primary winding P. The

secondary windings are indicated at S and S as being connected in circuit with tubes [0 and II respectively. The switch in the primary circuit that is adapted to be actuated either by the end cap of Fig. 2, or by the bar 55 of Fig. 4, is

indicated in general at C, the connections to which are diagrammatic and are sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to understand the operation thereof.

An advantage of the present invention is the fact that the gaseous tubes are securely held in position under conditions wherein excessive vibration is present, and that the primary circuit is automatically broken whenever the tube holder is placed in such condition that a tube can be removed from the fixture. The invention operate automatically also to reset the primary circuit before the tubes can be lighted, so that there is no danger of an operator replacing a tube and then forgetting to replace the tube supporting member. By making the tube holder of current conducting material and grounding it, better starting characteristics are obtained.

I claim:

1. In a gaseous tube lighting system, the combination of a gaseous tube having primary and secondary circuits associated therewith, a support for the tubes, a switch in serie with the primary circuit, a member detachably positioned on the support for locking the tubes in position thereon, said member being arranged to close said switch automatically whenever the member is applied to the support in tube holding position, and to open said switch automatically whenever the member is detached sufiiciently to effect removal of said tube.

2. In a gaseou tube lighting system, the combination of a tube, a support therefor, a transformer having a primary and secondary circuit,

the secondary circuit being connected to the tube,

a source of current for the primary circuit, a switch in the primary circuit, a member for holding the tube in position on the support and simultaneously closing the switch, and means for automatically opening the switch whenever the member is removed from said tube. V

3. In a gaseous tube lighting system, the combination of a gaseous tube, a transformer having a primary and secondary circuit, means for connecting the tube in circuit with the secondary circuit, current controlling switch in series with the primary circuit, means for holding the tube in operative position and simultaneously and automatically holding the switch in closed position, the switch being opened automatically whenever said means is withdrawn.

4. In an electric lighting system, the combination of a fluorescent tube, a support for the tube, means for supplying current to the tube and a device for preventing removal of the tube from the support, said device being detachably mounted on the support, and means for controlling the flow of current to said tube, said means being automatically moved to closed position upon positioning said device against the tube, said means being operable automatically to stop the flow of current in said circuit upon removal of said device from said tube.

5. In an electric lighting system, the combination of one or more tubes, a support including a housing extending longitudinally of the tube, a transformer within the housing, a switch mounted within the housing and having a springpressed plunger therein adapted to be moved with respect to the housing for controlling the flow of current in said transformer, and a member detachably mounted on the end of the housing and extending around the tube and operating to prevent removal of the tube, such member also operating to engage said lunger and to close the circuit whenever the member is applied to the support, the removal of said member operating to eifect automatic opening of the switch by releasing the restraining pressure on said plunger.

6. In a gaseous tube lighting system, the combination of' a housing having a gaseous tube adapted to be supported thereby, an electric circuit for the tube, a controller in said circuit, and a member carried by the support and adapted to straddle the tube and operating to actuate said controller, whereby the circuit is closed when said member is in closed position upon the support, and whereby the circuit is automatically opened whenever the member is moved with respect to the support sufficient to enable the tube to be removed therefrom.

7. In a gaseou tube lighting system, the cornbination of a tube, a support therefor, a member hinged to the support and adapted to straddle the tube and to be detachably connected to the support at the end opposite the hinge, an electrical circuit for the tube, and a switch in series with said circuit, said switch having an actuating part disposed in the path of movement of said member, whereby the circuit is automatically closed when the member is positioned on the support, and is automatically opened when the mem ber is moved with respect to the support a distance sufficient for removal of the tube therefrom.

8. In a gaseous tube lighting system, the combination of a support having a gaseous tube adapted to be mounted thereon, an end cap embracing the tube and detachably connected to the support, an electric circuit for the tube, a switch in series with said circuit, said switch having a part thereof adapted to be engaged by the cap and moved thereby to closed position, whenever the cap is applied to the support, and means for automatically actuating said part to open the circuit whenever the cap is removed from the support an amount sufficient to permit removal of the tube therefrom.

9. In an electric lighting system, the combination of a fluorescent tube, a support therefor, a source of current supply for the tube, and a member disposed in close proximity to the tube for preventing removal thereof from the support, said member having a grounded connection and being detachably mounted on the support, means for controlling the flow of current to said tube, said member operating automatically to actuate said means for permitting the flow of current to the tube upon attachment of the member to the support and operating automatically to stop the now of current upon removal of said member from said support.

PERCIVAL K. RANNEY. 

